Kahne eager to get NASCAR comeback rolling...just not in the Cup Series

Kasey Kahne is coming back to NASCAR next year, but don’t expect him to eventually make his way back to the Cup Series full time.

“I’ve always kind of felt I could maybe pull off a one-off or something like that in a Cup car, but where my body went those final couple of years, there would be no chance to ever do that again full time,” Kahne said Wednesday. “And I understand that, and I knew it when I got out of the sport, and that’s why I got out. So, that was disappointing – parts of it – but also, it’s what it is.”

Kahne is set to join Spire Motorsports full-time in the FedEx Freight Truck Series, marking the first time since 2018 he's run a full NASCAR season and the first time he’s done so in the Truck Series. The former Cup Series winner was forced to stop racing near the end of the 2018 season due to serious health problems including severe dehydration, vision issues and an elevated heart rate that made it difficult to stay behind the wheel during long Sunday races.

But the Truck Series schedule is perfect for Kahne. It is 25 races spread out across the calendar, with the longest race being 250 miles.

“You have to take it and move on and figure out other ways to be happy and get some of that enjoyment out of what I did for a long time,” Kahne said. “But you never know; maybe a one-off or something. But I think, to me, this series with short races, schedule, all of that, makes way more sense with where I’m at.”

The Washington native won 18 races in the Cup Series between 2004 and 2018, and was one of the more popular drivers with the fans. Kahne felt the same emotion as anyone when his career ended unexpectedly. But he never stopped racing; it moved elsewhere.

Kahne maintained a presence on dirt by competing in High Limit Racing and World of Outlaws sprint car events. A friendly Truck Series schedule of Friday and Saturday events, which don’t run every weekend, will allow Kahne to keep racing on dirt next year as well.

And it was at a dirt event, the Knoxville Nationals, that Kahne was lured back to NASCAR. Jeff Dickerson, the co-owner of Spire Motorsports, brought up the opportunity, which Kahne, surprised, discussed with his family.

“Once I thought about it for a while, it was a really good opportunity for someone who hasn’t been in the sport for a period of time,” Kahne said. “To get in with a really solid truck organization, Spire Motorsports, which is strong in all of motorsports. I thought it was really cool and exciting.

“I think it fits me pretty well because of the shorter races. A lot of night races. The long Cup races throughout a full season, I just couldn’t handle that anymore, and it’s why I had to get out of the sport when I did. But I can make this happen and do it and do it well.”